Helene Weigel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helene Weigel
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Weigel in 1967, as "Mother" in Bertolt Brecht's play The Mother
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Helene Weigel
12 May 1900 |
| Died | 6 May 1971 (aged 70) |
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| Spouse(s) | Bertolt Brecht |
| Children | 2 |
Helene Weigel (born May 12, 1900 – died May 6, 1971) was a famous German actress and a director of plays. She was the second wife of Bertolt Brecht, a very important writer and director. They were married from 1930 until he passed away in 1956. They had two children together.
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About Helene Weigel
Her Early Life
Helene Weigel was born in Vienna, which was part of Austria-Hungary at the time. Her parents were Leopoldine and Siegfried Weigel. Her father worked as an accountant in a textile factory. Helene's family was Jewish. She became a member of the Communist Party in 1930.
Her Family Life
Helene Weigel and her husband, Bertolt Brecht, had two children. Their names were Stefan Brecht and Barbara Brecht-Schall. Helene was a dedicated mother and wife, alongside her busy acting career.
Her Acting Career
Helene Weigel was a very talented actress. She became the artistic director of a famous theater group called the Berliner Ensemble on February 16, 1949. An artistic director helps decide which plays are put on and how they are performed.
She is especially remembered for playing many important characters in plays written by her husband, Bertolt Brecht. Some of her most famous roles include:
- Pelagea Vlassova in The Mother (1932)
- The main character in Brecht's version of the Greek story Antigone
- The main character in Señora Carrar's Rifles, a play about a civil war
- The well-known character of Mother Courage
Between 1933 and 1947, Helene Weigel had a difficult time acting. She had to leave Germany because of Adolf Hitler's rule. She lived as a refugee, even spending six years in Los Angeles. It was hard for her to act during this time.
Her career really took off when the Berliner Ensemble theater group was started in East Germany in 1949. This is when Brecht's plays and their theater became known all over the world. Helene Weigel continued to lead the company until she passed away. Many of the roles she created with Brecht are still performed in the theater today.
Her Later Years
Helene Weigel died in East Berlin on May 6, 1971. This was just six days before her 71st birthday. She left behind a great legacy in theater.
See also
In Spanish: Helene Weigel para niños
